Robot cleaner

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a robot cleaner, including a cleaner body; and a sensing unit disposed in the cleaner body, wherein the sensing unit includes a rotating body configured to be horizontally rotatable around a rotation shaft passing through an inside of the cleaner body; a sensing unit mounted on one side of the rotating body to sense a feature or an obstacle in the vicinity of the cleaner body; and a tilting unit installed inside the rotating body to vertically tilt the sensing unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An autonomous cleaner, comprising:
 a cleaner body; 
 an upper cover hinge-connected to the cleaner body; and 
 a sensing module provided in the cleaner body, 
 wherein the sensing module includes:
 a rotating body that is horizontally rotatable around a rotation shaft within the cleaner body; 
 a sensor mounted on the rotating body, the sensor detecting a feature or an obstacle outside of the cleaner body; 
 a tilt servo motor provided in the rotating body, the tilt servo motor providing a force to adjust a vertical tilt of the sensor; and 
 a supporting frame that rotatably receives the rotating body, wherein 
 an arc-shaped through hole centered on the rotation shaft is formed in the rotating body, and 
 
 a fastening boss coupled to the upper cover through the arc-shaped through hole protrudes from the supporting frame. 
 
     
     
       2. The autonomous cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a dust bin accommodation recess, to which a dust bin is detachably coupled, is formed in the cleaner body, and 
 the sensing module is provided at an upper opening of the dust bin. 
 
     
     
       3. The autonomous cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the upper cover is provided over the upper opening of the dust bin accommodated in the dust bin accommodation recess, and 
 the rotating body is rotatably mounted to the upper cover. 
 
     
     
       4. The autonomous cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein:
 a coupling protrusion extends from a lower surface of the supporting frame, 
 a coupling groove is formed on an upper surface of the dust bin to engage the coupling protrusion, and 
 the supporting frame is detachably coupled to the dust bin by the coupling protrusion and the coupling groove. 
 
     
     
       5. The autonomous cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating body includes:
 a base frame to which a pan servo motor that provides a force to horizontally rotate the rotating body, the sensor, and the tilt servo motor are mounted, and 
 a cover frame mounted to cover an upper opening of the base frame. 
 
     
     
       6. The autonomous cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the arc-shaped through hole is formed in the base frame, and
 another through hole corresponding to the arc-shaped through hole and a communication hole to mount the pan servo motor on the upper cover are formed on the cover frame, and 
 the pan servo motor is rotatably coupled to the upper cover through the communication hole. 
 
     
     
       7. The autonomous cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing module further includes a sensor mounting frame connected to the tilt servo motor and configured to be rotatable about a tilting axis intersecting the rotation shaft when the tilt servo motor is driven, and
 wherein the sensor is mounted on the sensor mounting frame. 
 
     
     
       8. The autonomous cleaner of  claim 7 , wherein:
 a rotation groove, into which a rotation protrusion extending from surfaces of the sensor mounting frame is rotatably inserted, is formed on the rotating body, and 
 the rotation protrusion forms a tilting axis of the sensing module. 
 
     
     
       9. The autonomous cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the tilt servo motor is provided inside the rotating body to perform an oscillatory movement; and
 wherein the sensor module further includes a tilt arm connected to a drive shaft of the tilt servo motor and the sensor mounting frame, respectively, to rotate the sensor mounting frame about the tilting axis during the oscillatory movement of the tilt server motor. 
 
     
     
       10. The autonomous cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein the tilt arm includes:
 a link having a first end connected to the drive shaft of the tilt servo motor; and 
 a fastening protrusion extending from a second end of the link, the fastening protrusion being inserted into a mounting hole of the sensor mounting frame to be rotatable. 
 
     
     
       11. The autonomous cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the mounting hole includes:
 a first through opening into which the fastening protrusion is inserted; and 
 a second through opening extended from the first through opening, and configured such that the fastening protrusion is engaged with one end thereof to be rotatable, and 
 the fastening protrusion includes:
 a shaft provided within the second through opening; and 
 a shaft end formed to have a larger diameter than the first through opening and provided to cover the sensor mounting frame while the shaft is inserted into the second through opening. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The autonomous cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaner body includes:
 a cleaning head protruded from a front of the cleaner body and configured to suction dust or mop a floor; and 
 a camera provided on the front of the cleaner body. 
 
     
     
       13. An autonomous cleaner, comprising:
 a cleaner body having a dust bin accommodation recess to which a dust bin is detachably coupled, 
 a cover that is positioned on an upper opening of the dust bin; and 
 a sensing module disposed between the upper opening of the dust bin and the cover, 
 wherein the sensing module includes:
 a rotating body that is horizontally rotatable around a rotation shaft formed inside the cleaner body; 
 a sensor provided in the rotating body to detect a feature or an obstacle outside of the cleaner body; 
 a tilt servo motor installed inside the rotating body and providing a force to adjust a vertical tilt of the sensor; and 
 a supporting frame that rotatably receives the rotating body wherein 
 an arc-shaped through hole centered on the rotation shaft is formed in the rotating body, and 
 a fastening boss coupled to the cover through the arc-shaped through hole protrudes from the supporting frame. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The autonomous cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the rotating body includes:
 a base frame in which a pan servo motor that horizontally rotates the rotating body, the sensor, and the tilt servo motor are provided on a common plane, and 
 a cover frame mounted to cover an upper opening of the base frame. 
 
     
     
       15. The autonomous cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein the sensing module further includes:
 a sensor mounting frame connected to the tilt servo motor and configured to be rotatable about a tilting axis intersecting the rotation shaft when the tilt servo motor is driven, wherein: 
 the sensor is mounted on the sensor mounting frame, 
 a rotation groove, into which a rotation protrusion protruded from both ends of the sensor mounting frame is rotatably inserted, is formed on the rotating body, and 
 the rotation protrusion forms a tilting axis of the sensor. 
 
     
     
       16. The autonomous cleaner of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the tilt servo motor is provided inside the rotating body to perform an oscillatory movement; and 
 wherein the sensing module further includes:
 a tilt arm connected to a drive shaft of the tilt servo motor and the sensor mounting frame to rotate the sensor mounting frame about the tilting axis based on the oscillatory movement of the tilt server motor, and 
 
 wherein the tilt arm includes:
 a link having a first end connected to the rotation shaft of the tilt servo motor; and 
 a fastening protrusion at a second end of the link, the fastening protrusion being inserted into a mounting hole of the sensor mounting frame to be rotatable. 
 
 
     
     
       17. An autonomous cleaner, comprising:
 a cleaner body; 
 a wheel that is driven to move the cleaner body; 
 an upper cover connected to the cleaner body by a hinge; and 
 a sensing module provided in the cleaner body, wherein the sensing module includes:
 a rotating body that is horizontally rotatable around a rotation shaft in the cleaner body; 
 a pan servo motor mounted in the rotating body and configured to provide a force to horizontally rotate the rotating body; 
 a sensor mounted on the rotating body to sense a feature or an obstacle outside of the cleaner body; 
 a tilt servo motor mounted in the rotating body and configured to provide a force to vertically tilt the sensor; and 
 a supporting frame that rotatably receives the rotating body, wherein
 an arc-shaped through hole centered on the rotation shaft is formed in the rotating body, and 
 a fastening boss coupled to the cover through the arc-shaped through hole protrudes from the supporting frame.